Apparatus for wet treatment and drying of a moving wet spun synthetic thread strand



APEARATUS FOR WET TREATMENT AND DRYING OF A MOVING WET SPUN SYNTHETICTHREAD STRAND Original Filed July '14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 25,1947,. O NAUMAN'N 2,416,535

" flrlerl0laumm 2,416,535 AND DRYING OF A IC'THRE Feb. 1947. H. o;NAUMANN APPARATUS FOR WET TREATMENT MOVING WET SPUN SYNTHET AD STRANDOriginal Filed July 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n n8. .8. 3. Qs

3. A N QR A um. Nu m A mmy s Patented Feb. 25, 1947 APPARATUS FOR WETTREATMENT AND DRYING OF A MOVING WET SPUN SYN- THETIC THREAD STRANDHerbert 0. Naumann,Englewood, N.

J assignor to North American Rayon Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Original application July 14,

Divided and this application June 3, 1943, Serial 170.489, 552- IClaims. ((71. 68-200) This invention relates to the treatment ofapparatus for wet treatment and drying a moving thread strand.

It has long been recognized in the textile arts that thread in extendedform can be more readily wet treated and dried than is possible if thethread is wound in packages composed of superposed helical layers. Insuch processes, for instance, as in'the after-treatment of thread ofsynthetic origin, in the coating and impregnating of thread or strands,such as the coating of fishing lines or insulating strands with varnishand in extended form. In many instances the patents above referred todisclose not only wet treating but drying the thread in the course ofits travel in extended form or while it is being advanced in the form ofa single layer of travelling helices.

The primary object of this invention is to i'acilitate the wet treatmentand drying of thread while it is being advanced in extended rorm.

Another object is to establish a definite line of demarcation betweendifferent treating zones of a thread-advancing thread-store device uponwhich the thread to be treated is supported in the tom of a single layerof travelling helices.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention,which embodies among its features a thread-advancing threadstore deviceseparated longitudinally into at least one liquid treating zonejand aheated drying zone and means to inhibit the conduct of heat from thedrying zone to an adjacent zone.

Figure 1 is a view partially in section and partially in side elevationof a thread-storage, thread-advancing unit embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a development of the cylindrical surface constituting aportion of the cooling zone of the upper roller 01! the thread-storage,threadadvancing device oi Figure 1;

- thread, and is more particularly concerned with 1942, Serial No.

2 Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in section'of the cylinder developed inFigure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view oi a roller of athread-storage, thread-advancing unit constructed of a carbon-graphitecomposition.

Thread-storage, thread-advancing unit is composed of two rollers I25 andI21 which are driven from shafts I34 and I28, respectively, throughspiders 24I and 242, keyed respectively at 243 and 244, as can be seenin Figure 1. Note also that housings I38 and I32 extend well intorollers I26 and I21 so that bearings 245 and 246 may be located onshafts I34 and I28 a substantial distance toward the unsupported end ofthe device. The shaft I28 of lower roller I21 extends in a trulyhorizontal direction while the shaft I34 of the upper roller I26 extendsin a sloping direction, such that the axes of the two rollers I21 andI26 are convergent in the direction of their unsupported ends, and therollers themselves lie in intersecting planes.

Spider 24I is provided with a cylindrical portion 241 over which acylinder 248 is pressed. This cylinder is provided with an annularflange 249. Roller I26 includes, in addition to cylinder 248, cylinders250 and 25I, and shouldered annular members 252 and 253. The cylindersare fitted over the shouldered portions of annular members 252 and 253.Integral with or attached to cylinder 25I is a spider 254 provided witha central hub 255 through which the threaded free end 256 of a shaft I34is passed. A nut 251 may 'be drawn against a washer 258 to pull cylinder25I toward cylinder 248, thereby holding the intermediate annularmembers and cylinder 250 so that the entire assembly may function as aunit.

Practically an identical arrangement is used in drawingtogether thecomponent parts of roller I21. In the latter case, shaft I28 is providedwith a threaded end 259 passing through a central aperture in a spider260 integral with an annular member 26I, and a nut 262 engaging shaftend 259 serves to draw together all of the components of roller I21between annular member 26I and a cylinder 263, similar to cylinder 24Bof roller I26. Cylinder 264 is pressed over a shoulderoi annular member26I so that it need not be subjected to the compressive force exerted bynut 262. Between annular member 26I and cylinder 263, two cylinders 265and 266 and two shouldered annular memberst261 and 268 are interposedthe arrangement being as previously described in conjunction with rollerI26.

The various cylinders making up the unit are underlying respectivelyannular members 253 and s 252. In this way, liquid supplied to thevarious component cylinders of roller 2I8 may beseparately recovered. Atrough 211 underlies roller I21 and this trough is partitioned at 218and 218, the partitions underlying respectively annular member 261 and268.

Upon reference to Figure 1 it will be noted that cylinders 256 and 266are provided with I grooves 286 and thatthere are some grooves 28I attheright hand side of cylinder 25L These. grooves function to distributeliquids over the surface of the cylinders in which they are located, theliquids being supplied from the pipes disposed above the particularcylinder.

In the aftertreatment' of freshly spun viscose, the yarn is led from asource, not shown, over a guide roller 18 and onto cylinders 248 and 263which can be conveniently employed as a desulphurizing zone. Thedesulphurizlng liquid has been found to be self-distributing, thetreatment is a chemical one, and, for that reason, the surface ofcylinders 248 and 263 need not, be grooved. Cylinders 256 and 266constitute washing zone. Here substantial quantities of water aresupplied to the cylinders and are moved from left to right as viewed inFigure 1. Cylinder 265 is used. for the application of a finishingsolution to the thread. This solution need not be supplied in largeamounts and having a low surface tension, is more or lessself-distributing. Consequently, cylinder 265 is not provided withgrooves to cause axial movement of the liquid supplied \from pipe 21 I.Since only a small amount of the finishing solution is applied. to thethread, no similar zone on roller I26 is required. However, a portion ofcylinder 25I extends over cylinder 265 and the former, near itsunsupported end, is provided with a heating unit 283 which is inregistry with cylinder 264 of roller I21. This is a, radiant heat unit,fully described in Patent No. 2,244,745. As a result of its use, thesurface of cylinder 25I adjacent the unsupported end there- .of issubjected to considerable heat. It is undesirable, however, that thefinishing solution be dried before it is applied in an adequate amount.

Consequently, a heat insulated disc 284 serves to divide the interior ofcylinder 25I into two portions. Disc 28%, is conveniently held inposition b bolting to spider 254. Disc 284 prevents the radiation ofheat into the portion of cylinder 25I which is in vertical registry withcylinder 268. The surface of cylinder 25I, however, is of a heatconductive material. Thus,'to prevent the surface conduction of heatalong-cylinder 25I beyond disc 284, a cooling zone 285 is interposed.This cooling zone is best viewed in Figures 2 and 3. It can be seen thatthe thickness of cylinder 25I i reduced at annular zone 285 and that anumber of perforations 286 are provided therein. These allow theatmospheric air in the spinning rooms to pass through a portion of thecylinder to cool the same. Grooves 28I, on the surface of cylinder 25Itend to move any finishing solution carried by the thread from cylinder265 to cylinder 26! to the right of the latter as it is viewed in Figure1 so that it cannot get onto the heating zone. a

In Figure 4 there is shown a modified type of cylinder to be used induplicate to form a threadstorage, thread-advancing device. Thiscylinder is composed of a carbon and graphite composition asdistinguished from the normal construction which contemplates astainless steel surface usually satisfactorily resistant to the variouschemicals employed. Except for thickness of material,

due to reduced strength thereof, the structure is similar to the formspreviously described. Thus, a roller drive shaft 666 is provided having,at its free end, a threaded area 66I of reduced crosssection. This area,is passed through a central aperture in a steel clamping plate 662 whichplate is urged toward the supported end of the roller by a nut 663acting against a washer 664. Plate 662 rests against an interior annularflange 666 of a cylinder 666, the cylinder being composed entirely of acarbon and graphite composition molded in the shape desired. An annularmember 661 i located between cylinder 666 and another cylinder 668, thisannular member defining a separation zone by virtue of being providedwith exterior annular grooves 666, 6I6, 6| I and 6I2, bridges 6I3crossing all of the grooves and presenting a rounded interrupted surfacelying slightly above the surfaces of cylinders 668 and 666. Annularmember 661 is similar to the corresponding members in the steelconstruction form of the invention previously described, except that itis somewhat thicker, and can withstand the stress brought about bydrawing down plate 662. Shoulders 6I4 and 6I5 thereof respectivelyreceive the edges of cylinders 668 and 661. Cylinder 668 is providedwith an exterior annular flange H6 and is pressed over a cylindricalpor-' tion 6I1 of a steel spider 6I8, having a hub 6I8 modified to allowwet spinning of any other syn-- keyed at 626 to shaft 666. An annularflange 62I may be disposed on hub 6I9 to act as a dam to prevent anyaccidental movement of corrosive liquids into the drive connections forshaft 666.

Similarly, a cap 622 may be screwed over a boss 623 against a washer 624to protect the threaded connection between portion 66I of shaft 666 andnut 663.

I wish to emphasize that the process may be thetic thread. Thus it ispossible, with adequate changes of the treatment baths, to spincuprammonium solutions, solutions of cellulose est'ers, polymerizedhydrocarbons and derivatives thereof, etc. Modification of the processand the apparatus will readily be foreseen by those skilled in the art,and I desire to include all modifications and variations coming withinthe scope of the appended claims.

This is a division of my application Serial No. 456,934, filed July 14,1942, entitled Process and apparatus for the manufacture of synthetic yn A.

I claim:

1=. Apparatus for the aftertreatment of wet spun synthetic thread andthe like comprising, 'a driven thread-storage, thread-advancing devicecomprised of two cylindrical ro1lers,the axes of which lie inintersecting planes, at least one of said rollers being hollow and thesurface thereof being provided with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced helical grooves disposed in a cylindrical zone, means for heatinga portion of the surface of said roller in a cylindrical zone axiallyspaced from said grooved zone, said roller being perforate and of lesserthickness intermediate said two zones, whereby conduction of heat fromthe heated zone to the grooved zone is minimized.

' insulating material,

; the heating means and in which that 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim1, in which the heating means is disposed within the roller in registrywith the heated zone thereof, and in which the roller is interlorlysubdivided by heat disposed between the heated zone and the groovedzone.

3. Apparatus for the after-treatment of wet K spun synthetic thread andthe like comprising a driven thread-storage, thread-advancing devicecomprised oftwo cylindrical rollers the axes of which lie inintersecting planes, one of said rollers being hollow and a portion ofthe surface thereof constituting a zone for the liquid treatment ofthread, means for heating another portion of the surfacepf said rolleraxially spaced from said first portion, said roller being perforate andof lesser thickness intermediate said two portions whereby conduction'of heat from the heated portion to the liquid treatment zone isminimized.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which is disposed within theroller roller is interiorly subdivided by heat insulatingmeans disposedbetween the liquid treatment zone and the heated the roller.

5. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of thread of synthetic origincomprising a thread supporting and advancing unit consisting of at leasttwo rollers, the axes of which lie in intersecting planes, means fordriving at least one of the rollers to cause thread wound around theunit to progress axially thereof in the form of spaced connected coilwith all of them,

portion of in the direction or the intersec- 7 tion of the planes, meansfor supplying treating liquids to spaced points along the surface of oneof the rollers of the unit, a plurality of means responsive to rotationof that roller for forming cylindrical liquid bands of controlled axiallength therearound, said last-named means lying' in registry withrespective points of liquid supply,

means acting on another roller for heating a portion of the surfacethereof to dry thread passed therearound, the heated surface lyingnearer the point of plane intersection than any of the roller rotationresponsive means and out of registry and means for limting the extent ofaxial conduction of heat along the roller to a zone out of registry withany liquid band, whereby liquid treatment and drying may be accomplishedon a single thread supporting and advancing unit in the order named, andwithout mutual interference;

HERBERT O. NAUMANN.

anraaancas 'crrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

